HIGHLIGHTS

Short circuit likely cause of fire, suffocation from fumes likely cause of death.

Regulations regularly flouted, only 3 out of over 50 joints there have safety permit.

While a 37-year-old businessman who was staying on the first floor of the house in Hauz Khas Village died due to suffocation, his friend, a 23-year-old French woman, was injured in the fire.

HIGHLIGHTS

Businessman dies in fire in Hauz Khas apartment, friend hospitalised.

Short circuit likely cause of fire, suffocation from fumes likely cause of death.

Regulations regularly flouted, only 3 out of over 50 joints there have safety permit.

A fire at Delhi's nightlife hub Hauz Khas Village killed a businessman on Wednesday morning while a French woman was injured in the incident that underscored the Capital's poor safety standards and pervasive failure to enforce laws.

ONLY THREE OUT OF OVER 50 JOINTS HAVE FIRE SAFETY PERMITS

Mail Today reported in June that only three out of the more than 50 eateries and bars in the area had fire safety permits and the situation becomes alarming during weekends with huge crowds and cars choking the roads.

According to authorities, a "minor" fire broke out at 5.40 am, when there are few vehicles and people on the streets, but it still took them over an hour to douse the flames as fire tenders struggled to reach the narrow lane where the house is situated.

BUSINESSMAN DIES, FRIEND HOSPITALISED

Real estate businessman Gourav Taneja was staying on the first floor of the building for the past year with a friend, 23-year-old Anklora. He suffocated in the fumes and was declared brought dead at the Safdarjung Hospital, police said.

Anklora was semi-conscious when she was pulled out. She was initially admitted to the same institute but was later shifted to Apollo Hospital.

NARROW LANES LED TO DELAYED HELP

"Firefighters had to attach pipes to reach the building," chief fire officer Atul Garg told Mail Today. "It took little time to extinguish the flames once the personnel reached the house."

According to sources, neighbours tried to douse the fire by splashing water. Some even used fire extinguishers. Officers said if a fire tender manages to enter a narrow lane it has to battle to come out as there is no turning or connecting road. So each time it runs out of water, a vehicle has to move in reverse.

SHORT CIRCUIT SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSE OF FIRE

The fire department is yet to determine what led to the incident, but suspects a short circuit. Cops will record Anklora's statement to help with the probe.

Restaurants or pubs with fewer than 50 seats don't need any certificate from the fire department. But Mail Today found that such establishments in the Village are usually swarming with over 100 people.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS JOINTS ROUTINELY FLOUT FIRE SAFETY RULES

Fire department officials said they cannot do anything about the rules.

Fire dept officers said despite it being early morning, they had tough time reaching the spot.

"Permits are not required if they claim to have the capacity of less than 50 people. Whenever we get a request for permits, our officials visit the place to verify the truth. Permits have been issued only to three bars in the Village," Garg said.

EXCISE DEPARTMENT RAID EXPOSED VULNERABILITY

Sources say a raid by the excise department three years ago exposed the rot, as about 110 people were found in a bar which was permitted to have less than 50 visitors at a time. Many of the restaurants run from second and third floors, making them vulnerable to accidents and natural disasters. In case of a fire, a rescue operation becomes difficult. A pub was gutted in the area during Diwali a few years ago.

THE AFFECTED

The first floor of the house, with a makeshift accommodation, was rented by Gourav and Anklora from its owner, Liaqat Ali. The area is ringed by restaurants and commercial joints.

Gourav was from Haryana's Karnal district and owned a construction business in the Capital while Anklora is studying law from OP Jindal Global University in Sonepat.

SUFFOCATION SEEMS TO BE CAUSE OF DEATH

"It appears that the two got trapped with the fire spreading to the shed and the door," a police officer said. "Though they have sustained burn injuries, it appears that they started to suffocate due to the smoke and collapsed. We have sent Taneja's body for postmortem. Anklora is out of danger." Police have registered a case of negligence. Gourav's family reached Safdarjung Hospital and took his body to Karnal.

Officials of Delhi Fire Services said it is the responsibility of the civic body to refer cases for fire clearance to them, but no case from Hauz Khas Village has come to them in recent days.